Investigating the Internal Stratigraphy of Foredunes of the Duluth Barrier System : Application of Ground Penetrating Radar on Aeolian Landforms Critical for Protecting Vulnerable Lakeshore Communities

Abstract

The purpose of this research project is to analyze four representative foredunes along the Duluth Barrier System (DBS) in Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin, U.S.A., using ground penetrating radar (GPR). The largest freshwater system in the world is found in the upper Midwest area of the United States and contains five water bodies known as the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes are home to 177 species of fish (The Great Lakes Fishery Commission, 2020) and 300 species of bird nest in the Great Lakes each year (Alliance for the Great Lakes, 2022). The largest of these lakes is Lake Superior and 444,000 people live on Lake Superior (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2021). This creates concern for the livelihood that can be affected by foredune erosion.